Operable mounting means for outboard marine motor



OFERABLE MOUNTING MEANS FOR OUTBOARD MARINE MOTOR Filed May 7, 1962 G. H. WAGNER July 9, 1963 set E IN VEN TOR. GUSTAVE H. WAGNE R 2 Sh t -Sh ATTORNEY OPERABLE MOUNTING MEANS FOR OUTBOARD MARINE MOTOR Filed May 7, 1962 G. H. WAGNER July 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. GUSTAVE H. WAGNE R ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,096,959 OPERABLE MOUNTING MEANS FOR OUTBOARD MARINE MGTOR Gustave H. Wagner, 8027 NE. Killingsworth St, Portland, Oreg. Filed May 7, 1962, Ser. No. 192,640 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-4) This invention relates in general to means for mounting an outboard marine motor, or a pair of outboard motors, at the rear of a boat, and, more specifically, relates to mounting means for such outboard marine motor or motors which will enable the motor or motors to be quickly and easily raised and lowered while mounted on the boat.

When an outboard motor, attached to the rear of the boat, is used for propelling the boat, the propeller of the motor will ordinarily be positioned at a substantial distance below the bottom of the boat. Consequently when the boat moves into shallow water adjacent the shore, or moves in places where rocks or snags may be sufficiently close to the surface to be encountered by the propeller in its lowered normal driving position, means must be provided for raising the outboard motor and propeller quickly in order to prevent damage to the propeller.

Various manual means have heretofore been developed for raising the outboard motor and propeller while the motor is still mounted on the boat. Such means generally require the operator to be stationed at the rear of the boat in order to cause the propeller to be raised or swung up to safe position, and consequently such means or devices are not feasible for the operator of the boat when the outboard motor is remotely controlled by the operator positioned forwardly in the boat and thus not in close proximity to the outboard motor or the transom of the boat.

An object of the present invention is to provide adjustable mounting support for an outboard motor, or pair of motors, on a boat by which the motor or motors, and therewith the propeller or propellers, can be raised or lowered, when required, entirely through the medium of control means remotely located in the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable mounting support for an outboard motor, the raising or lowering of which support not only is controlled from a remote location in the boat but which also enables the operator, at such remote location, to raise the outboard motor and propeller from its lower normal operating position almost instantly whenever this becomes necessary.

An additional object of the invention is to provide novel control means for adjusting the height of an outboard motor mounted on the rear of a boat which control means can be manipulated very easily by the remotely positioned operator in the boat and which will enable the operator to raise the motor and propeller quickly without any particular exertion on his part while he continues to control the course of the boat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel and efficient remotely controlled mounting means for an outboard motor or motors which will be simple and practical in construction and which can be produced and installed at a very moderate cost and thus meet a common demand for simple remotely controlled positioning means for an outboard motor on a boat.

The manner in which these objects and other incidental advantages are attained with the present invention, and the construction and method of operation of such outboard motor mounting means, will be briefly described and explained with reference to the accompanying drawmgs.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of the outboard motor mounting means taken on line 11 of FIG. 2, one of the pair of outboard motors being indicated by broken lines, with the support for these motors being shown in raised position, and including also a side elevation of the actuating control for the motor mounting means, with a fragmentary and foreshortened sectional elevation of the boat also being indicated by broken lines;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the outboard motor mounting means of FIG. 1 showing the support for the outboard motors in the same raised position, with the two outboard motors together with the rear end of the boat indicated by broken lines;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section, drawn to slightly larger scale, taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the outboard mounting means of the invention, corresponding in part to FIG. 2, but drawn to a smaller scale, showing the mounting means arranged for use with a single outboard motor in place of the two outboard motors of FIG. 2, and illustrating the mounting means in the lowered position for normal operation of the outboard motor; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, more or less diagrammatic, sectional elevation showing one form in which the control means may be made for adjusting and positioning the outboard motor mounting means.

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in which 10 indicates the rear wall or transom of the boat 111, a pair of identical brackets 12 and 13, preferably substantially channel shaped in cross section, are rigidly secured to the outside face of the transom 10, as for example by means of bolts 14. These brackets 12 and 13 extend upwardly in parallel vertical planes spaced equal distances on each side of the center line of the boat and extend up beyond the top of the boat transom ill.

The bottom ends of these brackets 12 and 13 are formed with outwardly or rearwardly extending foot portions or elements 12 and 13' respectively in which the respective bottom ends of an inverted U-shaped frame member 15 are secured. The side portions, or legs, of this U-shaped frame member 15 pass through and are firmly secured in rearwardly extending top elements 12" and 13" similarly formed on the top ends of the brackets 12 and 13, and these supporting elements 12', 12" and 13', 13 are so arranged that the side or leg portions of the U-shaped frame member 15 will be held parallel to, and rearwardly spaced from, the main portions of the brackets 12 and 13 and thus be held in parallel relationship with the outside of the boat transom it The U-shap-ed frame member 15 is round in cross section and is preferably, although not necessarily, tubular.

A pair of sleeves l6 and 17 are slidably mounted on the side or leg portions of the member 15 respectively. These sleeves 16 and 17 carry inwardly and downwardly extending pairs of bracket flanges 16' and 17' in which the ends or" a motor-supporting board or motor lift transom 18 are firmly secured. This motor-supporting board 18, by being spaced outwardly from the boat transom 10, is adapted to have the outboard motor or motors clamped onto the board instead of having the motor or motors secured directly on the boat transom as is ordinarily customary. Thus the lowering or raising of this motor-supporting board 18 results in the outboard motor or motors which are clamped to the board being lowered or raised with respect to the boat transom.

A pair of coil springs 19 and 20 are carried on the side or leg portions of the U-shaped frame member 15 respectively below the sleeves 16 and 17 respectively.

The bottom ends of these coil springs bear on the foot portions 12' and 13' of the brackets 12 and 13, and the top ends of these coil springs engage the sleeves 16 and Patented July 9, 1963 17, the sleeves 16 and 17 being slidably mounted on the side or leg portions of the member 15. The coil springs 19 and 20 are under compression at all times and are so arranged as to exert sufficient upward thrust against the sleeves 16 and 17 to hold the motor-supporting board 18, together with the outboard motors clamped on the board, firmly in the maximum raised position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except at such times as this motor-supporting board 18 is forcibly thrust downwardly, by external means, against the force of the springs 19 and 20.

In the form of the invention illustrates in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which a pair of outboard motors M are provided for driving the boat, a hydraulic cylinder 21 has its upper end secured to the center of the top portion of the frame member 15. A piston in this hydraulic cylinder has a piston rod 22 which extends down below the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder and the end of this piston rod carries a clamping plate 40 which is secured to the top of the motor-supporting board 18 at the center of the top of the board. The two outboard motors M are secured on the board 18 at equal distances from the plate 40 and piston rod 22.

The operation of the hydraulic piston and piston rod 22 is controlled by a simple hydraulic pump and valve assembly indicated in general by the reference character 23. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5, the hydraulic pump and valve assembly illustrated includes a hydraulic cylinder 24- which is supplied by hydraulic fluid from a reservoir 25, the fluid passing into the cylinder through a one Way check valve 26. A hydraulic piston 27, carrying a one way valve 28, is operated by a hand lever 29, the hand lever being pivotally supported on the stationary bracket 30 and being connected with the piston 27 by suitable linkage rod means indicated at 31. The hydraulic cylinder 24 has an outlet port (located to the right of the piston as viewed in FIG. to which a conductor tube 32 is connected. This conductor tube 32 is provided with a one way check valve 33 so as to enable the hydraulic fluid to pass outwardly from the cylinder through the conductor tube 32 while preventing reverse flow through the conductor. Hydraulic conductor 32 is in turn connected to the main hydraulic conductor 34 which leads to the top of the positioning control cylinder 21. A branch return flow conductor 35 leads from the main hydraulic conductor 34 to a passageway in the base of the hand lever 29, which passageway is connected, through the medium of a normally closed, spring-operated check valve 36, and return conductor tube 37, to the hydraulic reservoir 25. The hand lever 29 carries a thrust rod .38 which, when manually pressed, will open the check valve 36 against the force of its spring.

As will now be apparent from FIGS. 1 and 5, operation of the hand lever 29 will cause hydraulic fluid to be forced into the top of the positioning cylinder 21 cansing the piston and piston rod in that cylinder to be forced downwardly. This moves the motor-supporting board downwardly against the force of the coil springs 19 and 20 and thus moves the outboard motors clamped to the board 18 to the lowered position with their propellers in the normal driving location below the bottom of the boat.

When the operator desires to raise the outboard motors and propellers quickly he presses his thumb or hand on the knob 38 at the top of the thrust rod 38. This opens the check valve 36 and permits the hydraulic fluid to pass back into the reservoir 25 from the cylinder 21 as a result of the upward pressure exerted by the coil springs 19 and 20 on the motor-supporting board 18 and thus on the piston rod and piston in cylinder 21. As a result the outboard motors are raised quickly while the operator keeps the thrust rod 38 pressed downwardly until the motorsupporting board 18 is in the maximum raised position permitted by the cylinder 21.

The returning of the motor-supporting board 18, and

therewith the outboard motors, to the lowered position as required for the normal driving of the boat is also quickly accomplished by the operator by pumping the hydraulic fluid back into the cylinder 21 with the manual operation of the hand lever 29. Thus the lowering of the outboard motors to normal driving position is also easily accomplished by the operator without requiring him to leave his operating control position in the boat.

FIG. 4 shows how the invention is employed when only a single outboard motor is used on the boat. In this case the motor-supporting board 18 is similarly held by a pair of sleeves which are slidable on the side portions or legs of the U-shaped frame member 15' and which sleeves engage the coil springs 19' and 20 respectively, the coil springs being under compression at all times. In this form of the device however a pair of hydraulic cylinders 21, 21' are secured to the top of the frame member 15, being spaced at equal distances from the centrally positioned single outboard motor M. The upper ends of these two hydraulic cylinders 21 are connected with the main hydraulic conductor leading from the hydraulic pump and valve assembly previously described. Thus the operation of the device, when arranged for a single outboard motor, as apparent, is exactly the same as that previously described in the case of the dual outboard motors. FIG. 4 illustrates the motor-supporting board 18', and therewith the outboard motor M and propeller, in the maximum lowered position, while, as previously mentioned, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the motor-supporting board and outboard motors in the raised position.

While FIGS. 1 and 5 illustrate a simple form of hydraulic pump assembly it is to be understood that this hydraulic pump assembly is shown by way of example only, and the invention is not to be understood as being limited to any specific hydraulic pump assembly since obviously other simple and well known hydraulic pumps, with suitable return flow releasing means, could be substituted in place of the assembly illustrated. Also other minor modifications would be possible in the construction shown without departing from the principle of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. An outboard marine mo'tor adjustable mounting assembly including a frame having a pair of side portions extending in substantially parallel vertical planes, bracket means securing said frame on the outside of the rear wall of a boat with said side portions of said frame spaced from said rear wall, a pair of sleeves slidable on said side portions of said frame respectively, a motorsupporting member secured to said sleeves, said sleeves enabling said member to move up and down to a limited extent with respect to said rear wall of the boat, spring means on said side portions of said frame beneath said sleeves exerting an upward thrust on said sleeves and therewith .on said member and adapted to hold said sleeves and said member normally in raised position, hydraulic mean operable from within the boat for thrusting said member and sleeves downwardly into lowered position against the force of said spring means, and releasing means connected with said hydraulic means enabling said member and sleeves to return quickly to raised position under the force of said spring means.

2. An outboard marine motor adjustable mounting assembly including a frame having a pair of side portions extending in substantially parallel vertical planes and a top cross bar portion, bracket means securing said frame on the outside of the transom of a boat with said side portions of said frame held spaced from said transom, a pair of sleeves slidable on said side portions of said frame respectively, a motor-supporting member, the ends of said member secured to said sleeves respectively so as to enable said member to move up and down to a limited extent with respect to said transom, spring means exerting upward thrust on said member and adapted to hold said member normally in raised position, a hydraulic cylinder supported on said top cross bar portion of said frame, a piston and piston rod in said cylinder, said piston rod extending downwardly from said cylinder and connected with said member, and a hydraulic pressure system connected with said cylinder and operable from Within the boat for thrusting said piston rod and said member downwardly against the force of said spring means and for holding said member down in lowered position.

3. An outboard marine motor adjustable mounting assembly including a frame having a pair of side portions extending in substantially parallel vertical planes, bracket means securing said frame on the outside of the transom of a boat with said side portions of said frame spaced from the outside face of said transom, a pair of sleeves slidable on said side portions of said framerespectively, a motor-supporting member securedto said sleeves enabling said member to move up and down to a limited extent with respect to said transom, spring means on said side portions of said frame beneath said sleeves exerting an upward thrust on said sleeves and therewith on said member and adapted to hold said member normally in raised position, a hydraulic cylinder supported on said frame, a piston and piston rod in said cylinder, said piston rod extending downwardly from said cylinder and connected with the top of said member, a hydraulic pressure system connected with said cylinder and operable from within the boat for thrusting said piston rod and said member downwardly against the force of said spring means, and manually operable releasing valve means in said hydraulic pressure system for enabling said member to be returned to raised position under the force of said spring means whenever said releasing valve means is actuated.

4. An adjustable mounting assembly for an outboard motor on a boat comprising a frame having a pair of parallel side portions and a top cross bar portion, bracket means securing said side portions on the outside of the boat transom spaced from said transom, a supporting member for an outboard motor, the ends of said member slidably mounted on said frame side portions respectively, springs on said side portions urging said member into an upper raised position, a pair of hydraulic cylinders supported on said top cross bar portion of said frame, piston rods extending downwardly from said cylinders and connected to the top of said member at equal distances from the center line of said member, a hydraulic pump assembly mounted in the boat and connected with said cylinders for thrusting said piston rods and said member down into lower position against the force of said springs, and releasing means connected with said pump assembly allowing hydraulic fluid in said cylinders to pass out from said cylinders and said member and piston rods to be returned to raised position by said springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,706,959 Downs Apr. 26, 1955 2,775,219 Curtis Dec. 26, 1956 2,840,630 Born June 24, 1958 2,927,552 Mickey Mar. 8, 1960 

1. AN OUTBOARD MARINE MOTOR ADJUSTABLE MOUNTING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A FRAME HAVING A PAIR OF SIDE PORTIONS EXTENDING IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL VERTICAL PLANES, BRACKET MEANS SECURING SAID FRAME ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE REAR WALL OF A BOAT WITH SAID SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME SPACED FROM SAID REAR WALL, A PAIR OF SLEEVES SLIDABLE ON SAID SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME RESPECTIVELY, A MOTORSUPPORTING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID SLEEVES, SAID SLEEVES ENABLING SAID MEMBER TO MOVE UP AND DOWN TO A LIMITED EXTENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID REAR WALL OF THE BOAT, SPRING MEANS ON SAID SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME BENEATH SAID SLEEVES EXERTING AN UPWARD THRUST ON SAID SLEEVES AND THEREWITH ON SAID MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID SLEEVES AND SAID MEMBER NORMALLY IN RAISED POSITION, HYDRAULIC MEAN OPERABLE FROM WITHIN THE BOAT FOR THRUSTING SAID MEMBER AND SLEEVES DOWNWARDLY INTO LOWERED POSITION AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS, AND RELEASING MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID HYDRAULIC MEANS ENABLING SAID MEMBER AND SLEEVES TO RETURN QUICKLY TO RAISED POSITION UNDER THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS. 